Gardening & Kids

Remember being a kid and digging in the dirt? It was terrific to find earthworms and catch ladybugs or grasshoppers.

Kids enjoy being outdoors but they need guidance so why not get them involved in gardening this spring and summer.

Big or small, gardening projects teach kids to nurture living plants, grow flowers, plants, and vegetables. By teaching them gardening you are also teaching kids responsibility and helping them gain self-esteem.

Depending on the age of the child they may be interested in simply playing or digging. Older kids may actually want to be more involved. They may want to pick what seeds they want to grow, but you may want to suggest what seeds are best grow in your area. If you do not have a ton of room, no worries, children are just as happy with playing in potting soil in containers.

Tips

Invest in some kid-sized gardening tools. Tools made for adults are too big for little hands and can be frustrating to use. Be sure to get well made tools as cheap, plastic ones usually don't work very well and will break easily. To help them understand what it takes to grow a garden, try creating a garden chart to hang in the house. Kids can cross off (or get a gold star for) every task they complete -- from sowing seeds to watering and weeding. For more information check out these tips from the national Gardening Association